But the MEPs responsible for the dossier, who met yesterday (22 January), have yet to reach a compromise over certain key aspects of the proposal. Chief among these is an attempt by the Commission to prevent claimants from being able to access certain self-incriminating documents submitted to the regulator by companies admitting wrong-doing.

The Commission fears that making leniency documents available will kill the main benefit of anti-trust enforcement: the policy of granting immunity and leniency in exchange for evidence, which has seen the number of cases and the levels of fines rocket since the policy was introduced in 1996.

But some MEPs, led by Sophia in ’t Veld, a Dutch liberal, argue that a blanket exclusion of leniency documents protects cartels and would breach cartel victims’ European Union right to compensation.

Member states agreed a joint position on 2 December, giving judges the power to decide whether to order disclosure of leniency documents. The first negotiation between MEPs and the member states is scheduled for 10 February.